21 November 2018

Kiehl’s has been in the country for more than a decade—and rooted in its science and nature-driven heritage as an apothecary, the brand itself has been around for over 150 years now. And although Kiehl’s has always been about tradition, it’s always making moves to keep up with the times. Previously found only in its 14 stores across Metro Manila and Cebu, the skincare brand’s no-frills and highly effective products will soon be accessible to the rest of the country for the first time: It has launched on Beauty MNL.

Mark your calendars: Kiehl’s is finally live on the Philippines’ online go-to destination for beauty and wellness. Kiehl’s Customer Favorites are all available, including cult favorite Midnight Recovery Concentrate, which replenishes and restores skin overnight; the Calendula Herbal-Extract Alcohol-Free Toner, which soothes sensitive skin; and the Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado, which provides a quick burst of hydration for the under-eye area.

17 November 2018

The holiday season is fast approaching and everyone's up for tons of gatherings and parties in the coming days. But in the midst of merrymaking, discomfort, days of waiting and, sometimes, tears are only some of the things constipated people would have to go through on a daily basis.

You know that expression, “It looks like you’re constipated,” referring to your facial expression? That means you have a pained look; an expression that conveys you’ve been suffering.

The suffering is real. There is no pleasure derived from constipation. A person is supposed to poop every day or at least regularly, not twice a week. Moving your bowels should give you a feeling of relief, not pain and more suffering.

So how do you know you’re constipated? Here are some common signs:

1.You poop less than three times a week . While it is not true that you should move your bowels every day in order to be in the non-constipated category , less than three times a week is too much.

2.Your poop is painful, dry and dark. According to the Bristol Stool Chart , if your stool is hard to pass, lumpy and shaped like nuts, you are constipated. You are doing okay if your stool looks like a sausage, has cracks on the surface and is soft and smooth. It is not true that your stools need to be very soft. In fact, having very soft stools that are bordering on being almost liquid is a sign that there is a problem.

3.You’re always gassy. Yes, it can be embarrassing to always be farting, especially when you’re in a public place or, heaven forbid, while out on a date! But being flatulent can be a sign of constipation. Yes, farting isn’t necessarily a sign that you’re on the verge of pooping. Having stored feces makes it difficult for a constipation to pass gas normally and this can result in flatulence .

4.Bleeding. If you see blood in your stool, you may be constipated. Having bloody stools can be caused by anal fissures resulting from hard bowel movement . But it can also mean there is bleeding somewhere in your digestive tract. It is best to have it checked by a doctor.

5.You need a laxative to poop. Laxatives stimulate the lining of the intestine to haste the stool's journey through the colon. They also help increase stool's hydration .

It’s not true that taking laxatives is an unhealthy habit. There is no evidence that use of stimulant laxatives leads to serious health problems .

With decades of clinically proven efficacy and scientific expertise, Bisacodyl (Dulcolax®) is the No. 1 laxative in the Philippines.

Bisacodyl (Dulcolax®) helps you be in control of your life by helping you poop regularly. If you poop regularly without any straining or pain, you don’t feel bloated or gassy. It can make your life easier. Not worrying about constipation will give you time to enjoy the more important things in life like time with family and friends, traveling, going on adventures and many others.

All content found in this press release were created for informational purposes only; and are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Kindly seek the advice of your attending physician regarding questions you may have about a medical condition. Please do not disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of information you obtained on this press release.

21 October 2018

Ever since I had my hair colored ash brown, I've been on the look out for hair products that would help me maintain the color. While there are tons of products that are especially made for colored hair, I had a hard time looking for one that is affordable, yet effective. During my search for "the one", I was actually able to try out several hair products that worked well for me so I alternate them and one of them is Koconae.

Koconae Coconut Oil Hair Shampoo and Conditioner

Hailing from Thailand, Koconae takes pride in their premium virgin coconut oil products that are proven safe and mild for everyday use. They currently offer tons of products that are made up of coconut oil such as facial care, hair care, skin care, and even products for children. For basic hair care, they offer the Coconut Oil Shampoo and Coconut Oil Conditioner.

17 October 2018

When Kiehl's invited me for a product launch, I wasn't sure what to expect. I knew it would be extravagant for sure, but I was still totally mind blown when I got there. We were surprisingly treated to a night of total pampering and indulgence. The event was held at no other than Okada Manila's 420sqm luxurious Presidential Suite which was filled with fresh flowers making each corner Instagram-able.

Every corner was Instagram-able at the Kiehl's slumber party

Wine-colored robes for the guests

I didn't wanna leave this bed!

Guests were clad in wine-colored silk robes to complete the slumber party look. We were actually asked to don pajama chic looks, but the robes definitely took our ootd to the next level. To make us more comfy and relaxed, we got to lounge in the suite's one king and two queen-sized Terry cotton beds covered in luxurious Rivolta Carmignani Italian linens and feather down pillows. I swear I didn't wanna leave the suite that night!

02 October 2018

Whatever the genre, whatever the era, good music will contain the seeds of universal truths. While most songs are understandably about romantic love, it still is notable that there are few songs about the love that can be found in the family. Ben X Ben are especially qualified to be part of a song about family because they are literally related as well as a family that was formed by love for music. And song writer and guitarist Paolo Benjamin Guico shares, “Sam (Concepcion) became part of our band!” So bonded are Ben and Ben that for their interview, they refused to begin until all nine members were present and ready to begin. The band was started by twins Paolo Miguel Guico and Miguel Benjamin Guico, hence their band name; and has now grown to include Poch Barretto on lead guitar, Jam Villanueva on drums, Agnes Resona on bass, Patricia Lasaten on keyboards, Ton Muñoz on percussion, and backing vocals and Kiefer Cabugao on vocals. For all of them to bond so strongly and effortlessly with Sam Concepcion, not just on the songwriting but on the performing and recording as well, is proof positive that music can truly unite people. “We just connected as a family, sakto lang talaga” Sam insists.

“Talking about the family can be so cheesy, too cheesy! And sometimes, the emotions can also be too close to home,” admits Paolo. “Maybe it’s just easier to talk about love in general, than to say that its about a family,” Sam supposes when asked about the rarity of songs that delve into the dynamics of a family. Very early on in the process, they all honed in on that aspect of going back to your roots. “Just go back, go back , that was very clear. To what family is and what a beautiful story that can be,” Sam reveals. It was a good parallel to their process. “Yes, it could have been difficult, we’re all very different people but what made us gel is that we all felt the same about the family.” The Ben and Ben family all admit that while their songs might be smooth and easy to listen to, there are some deep and potentially heartbreaking aspects to their lyrics as well. “We’re nine so that’s nine different experiences from nine different families, so we find what can cross the all that,” Agnes observes. But even with all that, Paolo says it was easy to find their groove. “It really just happened.” Miguel then adds, “Even if we had to build the song slowly, everyone just understood the feeling we wanted.” Paolo then says, “And once we started jamming , there was just that magic of playing together.”

Taste the sounds of Pinoy music as Sam Concepcion and Ben&Ben collaborate for Coke Studio Season 2. Catch them on October 7, at 11:15 a.m. before ASAP on ABS-CBN or on www.youtube.com/CokeStudioPH

29 September 2018

My favorite Liese Creamy Bubble Color shade would definitely be Rose Tea Brown - a choice from their Warm Brown series. I have probably consumed 6 to 8 boxes of it in the past two years. I actually discovered Liese in BeautyMNL. At first I was hesitant to buy it because I've never tried bubble hair color before and there weren't much review of the product online. But when I started using it, it instantly became my go-to DIY hair coloring product.

Liese Creamy Bubble Color in Rose Tea Brown

What it claims:

Creamy bubble color for a rich and long lasting color. Easy to apply. No drip bubble formula.

22 September 2018

Ever since I discovered Liese, it has been my go-to product when it comes to DIY hair coloring. I find it convenient and easy to use, plus it's available in BeautyMNL so I can just purchase online (especially since I barely have the time to go to the mall to buy). Liese used to be sold by online shops only, but I think they started to be available at Watsons since around two years ago.

Liese Creamy Bubble Color Milk Tea Brown

Liese offers numerous shades but this time I'll be doing a review of the Milk Tea Brown shade. As far as I know, it's the lightest shade in their Natural Brown series. It's not really my favorite shade, but I wanna share how my hair turned out after using the product.

11 August 2018

I've always wanted to have legit ash hair, not exactly gray or silver hair but that light brown hair with an ash shade. I find it just so hard to achieve that, first, because black hair that's been bleached tends to have orange or yellow undertones that makes it look brassy and second, because you can only get ash hair when done professionally.

Loreal Majirel ash shades

When I was invited to Retro Salon in Fairview a few weeks back, I was only expecting to take a peek at the salon for a feature. Little did I know that I would get my dream hair color that exact day.

I am no pro when it comes to deciding on what shade would perfectly suit me so I was thankful that their senior stylist, Ms. Rose, had something solid in mind. I would actually settle with ash brown hair but she thinks it would look better it I get highlights. My only request was that I hope the latter would be subtle.

Before

The first part of the entire process was foil highlighting. They manually (and tediously) separated small portions of hair and placed developer on it. They wrapped it in aluminum foil to make sure that it won't affect the rest of my hair because it would surely make the hair much lighter. It was set for 15 minutes before heading to the second step.

Foil highlighting

While waiting for the highlights to become as light as the intended it to be, they applied ash hair dye to the rest of my hair. This makes the whole process a lot faster since it's like hitting two birds with one stone (highlights and hair color at the same time) . They didn't added hair color to my roots yet though because this part tends to lighten the fastest. They used Loreal Majirel for my hair color. I have super long hair so it was quite a work to apply the products on my hair. At this point, there were three of them that needs to work on my hair. They have quite a number of stylists and staff so when such situation happens, they have the ample number of people to work on their clients even on a busy day.

Hair coloring in between

After 20 minutes, they applied the rest of the hair color at my roots. I suggest you allot ample time if you want to have highlights and treatment made because it's gonna take a while. While waiting, you may make use of their magazines or just engage in a conversation with your stylist. They're super friendly!

After finishing up the roots

When the alarm went off, I was taken to the shampoo area to have everything rinsed. I have to be honest but I was quite shocked when I saw the bleached strands of hair that was supposed to be my highlights. I thought that was the end of it. But after they rinsed my hair, they applied gray hair color to my hair to give the highlights that ash tone.

Hair treatment

Although not really part of the hair coloring process, I had my hair treated. I know it's an additional expense but if you want to keep on coloring and dyeing your hair, this is a good investment. Coloring puts so much toll on the hair that it becomes brittle and dry. With treatments, you can repair your hair to keep it healthy and shiny.

Final result

After another batch of rinsing, I had my hair dried and curled. When I saw my newly colored hair (even before I had my temporary waves), I was so in love! I wasn't sure how ash would look on me or how highlights would look on me, but both turned out awesome. Ms. Rose definitely know what she's doing here. I've been getting lots of compliments on my hair.

After curling

When I got my curls thereafter, I wished they were permanent! The highlights stand out well with wavy hair. I like it also when I put my hair up and the highlights would peek on the sides. It's quite eye catching, but in a good way. By the way, my hair didn't dry up after the process. My hair remained straight and soft. I just use purple/non-sulfate shampoo and conditioner to maintain the ash shade.

Price at Retro Salon varies depending on hair length. Prices start at P1550 and up for permanent Loreal hair color and P1050 and up for foil highlighting. If you have extremely long hair (like me) or thick hair, expect the price to be a tad different from the above mentioned figures. You can have your hair assessed before undergoing any procedure. And the figures that they will state during assessment is the final price so you won't get surprised after.

You may visit Retro Salon Fairview at Angelenix House, Commonwealth Corner Camaro Street, Novaliches, Quezon City. You may call them at (02)9354436 or (0917)1460289 for more inquiries and to set an appointment. Don't forget to check out their Facebook page at https://facebook.com/MetroSalonFairview.

03 August 2018

Kapitolyo never fails to surprise everyone with unique food experiences that would surely make people satisfied. Every place I have visited there has given me nothing but a loaded belly and an awesome time. Anyway, the last place I've been to started out as a small barbecue place along East Capitol Drive. Now, it has turned into a legit barbecue place offering smoked meats, among others.

Spacious indoor dining area

Live music to entertain everyone

The Pitmaster's Smokehouse Bbq has been open to public since 2016. They're quite far from the rest of the restaurants in Kapitolyo but they're definitely a must visit. When it comes to their interiors, they have quite a spacious dining area. The tables and chairs didn't feel cramped or crowded at all. They also have outdoor seating area if you prefer such. At night, they usually have an artist entertaining the crowd. I feel like it's the perfect hangout place after work.

Oyster Sisig - P250

The first dish that came out of the kitchen was nothing short of spectacular. Crispy oysters are smothered in garlic, mayonnaise, and aromat for that explosive flavor and texture. I love how crunchy the oysters are and the creamy sauce was a perfect match to it. It was a shame that I have to share this dish because I want to finish it on my own.

Chili Sausage - P250

One new addition to their menu is the Chili Sausage. Don't be fooled by the name because it wasn't that spicy at all. The sausages have that peppery flavor that I love and the sauce was mildly spicy. I am not really a fan of spicy food but I can easily tolerate this one.

Pulled Pork & Bacon Sisig - P270

I had to order rice after this dish came out of the kitchen. There's no way you can have sisig without rice! The pulled pork had a good mix of pork meat and fat. It also has bacon so there's a sweet flavor you get to taste every now and then. It was sinfully good. I found it kind of drenched in oil but isn't that how we want our sisig?

Sizzling Burger Steak - P370

The Sizzling Burger Steak was a combination of sweet and savory flavors. The burger steak was of decent serving size. It was meaty good! The egg on top was cooked nicely although I'd love the yolk to be a little bit more runny. The sauce and bacon slices gave it a hint of sweet flavor. I also love how they added shiitake mushrooms to it cause it added a new taste to the dish.

Bacon and Mushroom Pizza - P370

One of the underrated dishes that night was the Bacon and Mushroom Pizza (simply because everyone went gaga over the meats.) Anyway, this homemade pizza likewise has a sweet flavor to it and I think it's mainly because of their homemade bacon. I think this is something that kids will love. If you prefer something different from smoked meats, they likewise have tons of other dishes such as pizzas, sandwiches, soups, and salads.

Pit Platter - P1500

The highlight of the night was the Pit Platter. It is composed of the five smoked meats that Pitmaster's Smokehouse Bbq offers - the Pitmaster's Smoked Ribs, the Black Angus Brisket, the Smoked Bacon Strips, the Smoked Coriander Chicken, and the Pit Smoked Sausage. I personally love the beef brisket. This 15 hour smoked black angus beef brisket was extremely tender and tasty. It literally melts in your mouth. The seven hour smoked ribs were likewise fall-off-the-bone tender and very flavorful. The homemade seven day cured and smoked bacon strips were yummy but I think I was looking for that crisp. I wasn't a fan of the chicken also simply because it was kind of dry for my preference, but it has a really nice flavor.

The Pit Platter also includes four regular sides of your choice and a carafe of iced tea. I personally prefer the corn cob (which you can have grated) and the garlic buttered french beans. They also have premium sides such as four cheese mac and cheese, truffle pasta, elote Mexican corn, among others, that would surely go well with your Pit Platter.

Sauces available at Pitmaster's Smokehouse Bbq

Pitmaster's Smokehouse Bbq takes pride in their sauces. They currently have three variants which differs in sweetness and heat level. Apple is supposed to be the spiciest among the three. It wasn't as spicy as I expected and it has a runny texture. It actually has a sweet flavor. Hazelnut has a thicker texture and a tad sweeter than Apple. I think I prefer the East Capitol the most because it has a nice balance of heat and sweetness.

Beer Paddle - P250

The Beer Paddle is a nice pair to Pitmaster's menu and good live music. We got a beer paddle which consists of four flavored beers - Brown Sugar Cinnamon, Salted Caramel, Hazelnut, and Banana. I was able to taste everything and I oddly found banana to be the best one. I thought I would like the Salted Caramel the best but it leaves a bitter aftertaste whereas the banana tastes smooth and sweet all throughout.

If you opt to have awesome food with good music along with great company, better visit Pitmaster's Smokehouse Bbq. You may visit them at 64 East Capitol Drive, Kapitolyo, Pasig City.

31 July 2018

If you've been living in the Fairview QC area, you would definitely be familiar with the latest salon that I'll be featuring. I get to pass by it everyday back when I was still commuting to school but I haven't had the chance to actually visit it until I had my makeup done there for my Oathtaking and Signing of the Roll this year. Anyway, I was invited a few days back to try out their services (which I'll be reviewing in another blog post).

Retro Salon Fairview

Retro Salon (formerly known as Metro Salon) has been open for years now and has been serving the area with various salon services for quite a long time now. The salon has been recently placed under a new management and there have been definitely tons of changes that was implemented, most especially when it comes to their services.

Reception area

Front desk

When it comes to their interiors, I found it spacious and well-lighted. The decors and seats were simple and practical but it has a homey feel to it - something you'd go back to over and over again. During my recent visit (which was on a Tuesday afternoon), the place only had several clients having their nails done and their hair cut done. But when I had my make up done (I think it was on a Friday morning), the place was packed and busy. From what I have noticed and based on how the stylists and staff would know them by their first names, people that visit there are mostly long time customers.

Spacious salon area

If there is anything that Retro Salon has maintained, it is the staff that they previously had, such as their stylists and personnel, whom have already gained their clientele from all those years of service. I think this factor helps maintain the quality of the services that they offer.

I think that most of the improvement about their services takes place in their equipment and tools. They only offer quality hair products such as Loreal and Schawarzkopf for treatment and color. Whereas they only offer premier makeup such as MAC for their hair and makeup services. Of course, prices have increased a bit but I think it is all worth it.

Shampoo area

Recently, they launched two new services - the Loreal Steam Bond and the Brazilian Keratin Blow-Dry. The Brazilian Keratin Blow-Dry aims to repair, moisturize, protect, and infuse dull hair with keratin and vitamins to achieve that smooth, healthy, and well-conditioned shiny hair. If you opt to achieve that straight and shiny hair of your dreams, the Loreal Steam Bond uses the world's first steam smoothing system, which delivers a continuous and high pressure steam that permanently straightens the hair without any hair breakage and damage to hair.

If you are looking for a salon to rediscover within the Quezon City area, you may visit Retro Salon Fairview at Angelenix House, Commonwealth Corner Camaro Street, Novaliches, Quezon City. You may call them at (02)9354436 or (0917)1460289 for more inquiries and to set an appointment. Don't forget to check out their Facebook page at https://facebook.com/MetroSalonFairview.

22 July 2018

One of the latest events I have been to was quite peculiar. I've been to tons of food events in the past already but it was my first time attending a food & beer pairing event. With much excitement, I braved the Friday night traffic to get to Mentore Coffee + Bar by UCC in SM Aura, BGC for a fun and appetizing night with them and Baird Beer.

Baird Beer is now in the Philippines!

Baird Beer is a brand of craft beers manufactured in a brewery based in Japan. They take pride in pairing balance and complexity to come up with a character for each brew. Each bottle of beer is made in small batches and with the highest standards to achieve the best quality. They have 12 year round staple brews, but only 6 have been initially brought to the country. They are currently being imported and distributed exclusively by Booze Online Inc. here in the Philippines.

21 July 2018

It’s no news that today’s millennials have become obsessed with skin care. I guess it is because people put so much prime on personal appearance. Hence, everyone is on the lookout for the perfect skin care product or skin care treatment. The thing about skin care is that it is not cheap. Topical products are cheap but are not as effective and treatments sometimes cost a fortune especially if done in Insta-famous clinics. To address this, there are now online shops that offers beauty machines and equipment for your own personal use.

While these products are not cheap at all, they can be considered as good investments in the long run. Imagine never having to go to the clinic for your regular treatment because you can do it yourself at home. For example, a Vanadium Titanium Microcrystalline machine can help lighten and brighten your skin and can also supplement your normal skin care routine by making the skin take in topical products better.

20 July 2018

I enjoy seeing flower girls the most in a wedding. Well, that is aside from the bride and the groom themselves. They are just a delight to see all dolled up in their dreamy and cute flower girl dresses. Some even have the loveliest headdresses to match their dresses. They all look so incredibly adorable, don’t you think?

Shopping for flower girl dresses is has always been based on what the entire entourage would be wearing, especially when it comes to color and dress styles. For couples that are willing to splurge, having custom made dresses for all of the bridesmaids and flower girls would definitely be ideal. This is to ensure that the fabric and made of the dress would be uniform. But if you are on a tight budget, there are online shops, such as Angrila, that offers these kinds of dresses for a more affordable price.

What I love about discounted dresses for girls online is that they do not disappoint when it comes to the number of choices that you have. They literally have tons of styles and colors to choose from to make sure that one would absolutely match your preference. Even sizes can be made personalized so that the fit would be perfect. Here are some of my favorite flower girl dresses (along with the ones posted above):

This off shoulder satin dress is perfect for a garden wedding. Paired with a lovely hat, it also gives off that royal wedding vibe.

This classy navy blue dress with tulle skirt is modest and perfect for a simple church wedding. It is modest and elegant.

For an all out wedding, this extravagant dress is a match for an equally extravagant wedding. The best part is that this dress does not even cost a fortune. Most of the dresses posted here and on their website are only up for grabs for less than $80. Some are even on sale for less than $10. Don't forget to check out their site to see their entire collection.